Starting mechanism



NOV. 7, 1933. SEKELLA 1,934,095

STARTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1951 IN VENTOR Yozgston Sekeua A fro/ems y Patented Nov. 7, 1933 r V I I I 1,934,095 I STARTING MECHANISM Youston Sekella, Elmira Heights, N, Y.,' assignor to EclipscMachine Company, Elmira, N. Y., a corporation of -New York Application January 29 1931. Serial No. 512,012 7 -7Claims. (0114-7) I y I The present invention relates to starting mech- 23 therein. The ends 24 of springs -13'are bent: anism and more particularly to an automatic to extend substantially axially thereof and are pinion shift having yielding shifting and driving adapted to fit within said slots. "Retaining means members embodying an improved form of anchfor said springs is provided in the form of a oring means for said yielding members. o, thimble 26 adaptedto surround the hub 22 and 3. An object of the invention is to provide a novel close the slots 23. 1 anchoring means of the above type which per- The thimble is provided with a flange 27 having forms its function in a reliable and eificient mana central opening 28 adapted to loosely fit the her while being economical to manufacture and shaft 10, and with radial slots 29 adaptedto' e to a se bl U receive the .ends of springs 13. Slots 29 are 5-; Another object is to provide such adevice which formed by bending outwardly curved arms 31, forms a rigid interlocking connection in which a forming shoulders 32 at the base thereof. When single element is utilized to prevent both longithe thimble is in assembledposition, the ends 24 tudinal and radial motion of the yielding 'mem- 0f the springs traverse the slots 29 and bear 5 bers with respect to the pinion. against shoulders 32, while the curved arms 31 7o 5,

Further objects and advantages will be appar-- bear against the outer. sides of the bent portions ent to those skilled in this art from the following of thesprings, thereby preventing their v witha description taken in connection with the accomdrawal. a panying drawing in which: r In order to secure the thimble 26 on the hub 20, Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly broken away 22 and to prevent its rotation thereonin a dime-7 of a starter drive embodying a preferred form of tiOIl 0 ee the ends efsprhlgs 13, slits 33 are! the in enti n; V formed in the edge of the thimbleopposite the Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same partly in slots 29 and when the pa ts a e assembled, the 5 section showing the elements in driving position; ed e f t h b s p d in as Shown at 34.

5 Fig. 3 is a detail in-perspective of a locking The slits 33 are so positioned that the crimping thimble formed in accordance with the present pr c s f rm shoulders 3 adapted to n a h invention prior to the assembly thereof; and ends 24 of the springs 0n the pp site Sides there- Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective, partly in secof from the arms 31, and thereby lock the thimble tion, showing the thimble in assembled position. a ainst rotation. It Will be seen that the thimble In Fig. 1 of the drawing, a power member in thus provides unitary means for preventing with- 5...

the of. a shaft 10 has mounted thereon a drawal of the spring members from the hub in driving member in the form of a pinion 11 which either a radial or axial direction; l is adapted to be moved thereon into and out of .The springs .14 are anchored in asimilar-manengagement with a member such as a flywheel ner.in-axial slots 36 in the'anchoring-collar"16 gear 15 of an engine to be started. The shaft 10- and'are retained therein by a thimble 37 formed 9 may be the extended armature shaft of a'starting similarly to the thimble 26 and cooperating with motor not shown and is preferably provided with said springs in the manner 'above set forth. an outboard bearin such as indicated at 12. Means are preferably provided for retaining the Means are provided for the actuation of pinion pinion in its idle .position as illustrated in Fig. 1,

40 11 from shaft 10 in the form of spiral spring elesuch means being here shown in the form of an- 95 ments 13 and 14 anchored respectively to said anti-drift spring 38 .mounted on the shaft- 10 pinion and to an anchoring collar 16 and having between the collar 19 and the pinion, and preferatheir free ends in erthreadedwhereby relative 'bly housed in an opening 39 in said pinionwhe'n rotation therebetween will cause motion ofthe the parts are in driving position as illustrated in 4. pinion 11 along the shaft 10. The collar 16 is Fig 2. Y f

rigidly connected to the shaft in any suitable way In certain installations, it is sometimes desiraas by means of a key 1'? and set screw 18. A ble to augment the inertia of the pinion assembly thrust collar 19 is fixed on said shaft as by means in order to assist the automatic traversal thereof,. of a set screw 21 in position to limit the motion and means for this purpose are illustrated in the of the pinion 11 in the engine engaging direction. form of a counter weight 4.0 which is preferably 1051' The means for anchoring the ends of the provided with internal lugs adapted to fit between springs 13 and 14 according to the present inthe teeth of the pinion 11 and which may be forced vention are as follows: on said pinion from the front or meshing end of The pinion 11 is provided with an extended hub the pinion, and which is suitably retained thereon portion 28 provided with substantially axial slots as by means of riveting or swedging operations, 110

In assembling the parts of this device, the thimble 26 is first placed on the hub 22 of the pinion with the slots29 in registry with the slots 23 in said hub. The ends 24 of springs 13 are then inserted through said registering slots, the thimble 26 is rotated until the shoulders 32 abut against the ends of said springs, and the arms 31 bear against the bent portions thereof, The edge of the thimble is then bent inwardly as at 34 to lock the thimble on the hub with the ends 24 of the springs confined between shoulders 32 and 35.

The springs 14 are similarly assembled on the anchoring member 16 by means of the thimble 37.

The two spring assemblies are then threaded together, slipped upon the shaft 10, and the anchoring collar 16 fixed thereon by means of key 17 and set screw 18.

The anti-drift spring 36 is then placed on the shaft, and stop collar 19 fixed to the shaft by means of the set screw 21 thus completing the assembly of the device.

. In operation, starting with the parts in thepositions as shown in Fig. 1, acceleration of the shaft 10 in the direction of the arrow will cause the pinion, by reason of the rotational inertia of the pinion assembly, to be pushed by the action of springs 13 and 14 into engagement with the stop collar 19 ;as illustrated in Fig. 2. Further rotation of the shaft 10 will be transmitted to the a pinion through said springs, causing cranking of theengine in the usualmanner. Acceleration of the pinion 11 when the engine starts will cause the spring members 13 to thread themselves back intothe springs 14 and draw the pinion to idle position.

It will be noted that during this withdrawal action the springs 13 bear against the rear faces of the springs 14 as shown in Fig. lso that theends of the springs will not strike against the ends. of

the. retaining arms on the thimbles 26 and'3'7.

I he free ends of the springs may however be beveledas indicated at 41 if so desired in order to obviate any difficulty of this kind.

Although .but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will "be understood that various other embodiments are. possible and certain changes might be made inthe precise construction shown without departing from the spirit of the invention as define in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic starter shift, a rotatable member having an axially arranged slot therein, aspiral power transmitting spring having an end A bent axially to seat in said slot, and a unitary retaining member cooperating with said rotatable member and spring and having means closing said slot to prevent radial movement ofsaid spring from the slot, and having means to engage the I spiral portion of the spring to prevent longitudinal movement of the spring from the slot.

2. In an automatic starter shift, a driving memberhavinga slot therein, a spiral spring for ac-' tuating said member having an out-turnedqend adapted to seat in said slot, and a retaining member adapted to enclose the end of said spring in the slot and provided with an arm adapted to bear against said spring and prevent withdrawal thereof.

3. In an automatic starter shift, a rotary driving member having an axial slot therein, a spiral spring for actuating said member having an outturned end adapted to seat in said slot, and a retaining member adapted to surround the end of saidspring in the slot and provided with an extended portion adapted to bear against the bent portion of said spring and prevent withdrawal thereof, said retaining member having means adapted to engage the end of said spring to maintainsaid extended portion in operative engagement with said spring.

4. In an-automatic starter shift, a rotary member having an axial slot therein, a spiral power transmitting spring having an out-turned end adapted to seat in said slot, and a retaining thimble adapted to surround the rotary member and close said slot and and having an arm adapted to bear against the bent portion of the spring to prevent withdrawal of the spring from said slot, said thimble having a shoulder adapted to engage the end of' said spring to prevent rotation of said thimble in a directionto relieve the locking action of said arm.

5. In an automatic starter shift, a shaft, a pinion freely mounted thereon and having an extended hub portion provided with a longitudinal slot, means for actuating said pinion including a spiral spring having an end bent approximately axially to engage in said slot, and means for retaining said spring in said slot including a thimble mounted on said hub portion having flanges adapted to lock said thimble thereon and having an arm cooperating with said spring to prevent withdrawal thereof.

6. In an automatic starter shift, a shaft, a pinion freely mounted thereon and having an extended hub portion provided with a longitudinal slot, means for actuating said pinion including a spiral spring having an end bent approximately axially to engage in said slot, and a thimble adapted to surround said hub portion and prevent removal of said spring, said thimble having flanges adapted to lock said thimble on said hub, said flanges having shoulders adapted to'engage the end of'said spring and prevent rotation of the thimble on said hub.

'7. In an automatic starter shift, a shaft, a pinion freely mounted thereon and having an extended hub portion provided with a longitudinal slot, means for actuating said pinion'including a spiral spring having an end bent approximately axially to engage in said slot, and a thimble mounted on said hub portion having flanges adapted to lock saidthimble thereon, one flange having'a slot defined by a shoulder adapted to engagesaid spring, and an 'arm extending from said shoulderadapted to bear on the bent portion of the spring and'prevent withdrawal thereof and the other flange having a shoulder adapted to engage the opposite side of said spring and prevent rotation of said thimble in a direction to YOUSTON SEKELLA. 

